Plastic molidng machine



June 17, 1941. F. w; gamma 2, 6 41 PLASTIC MOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14. '1957 5 Sheets-Shet 1 TUTWZZOT'.

Jlme 17, 194 1. I F, w, McINTYRE 2,246,414

PLASTIC MOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1957 s Shets-Sheet z Y wad/W- June17, 1941. Fnw. MCINTYRE 2,245,414

' PLASTIC MOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 957 5 Sheets-Sheet} I 272727 6727 fr'ede/fzc/f June 17, 1941.

F. w. MCINTYRE PLASTIC MOLDING 11 10111113 Filed 001. 14, 1957 5 Sheets-She et 4 JZd'erzc/f MM "Jmyre F. w. M INTYRE 2,246,414 v PLASTIC MOLDING MACHINE,

June 17, 1941.

Filed Oct. 14, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED-STATE s PATENT. OFFICE rLAs'rro HOLDING 'mcnmn Frederick W. McIntyre, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation oi Massachusetts Application October r4, 193a, Serial No. mass:

' 3 Claims. (01. 18-30) tice . invention resides in the provision for quick removal of this plate when itis desirable to reach the end oi the nozzle, as for cleaning the nozzle,

replacement thereof, or for other purposes.

it further feature of the invention resides in the provision or a guide plate so positioned within the base of the machine that the molded artitles as discharged from the mold may be directed selectively to the back or front of the ill]; 1:1. chine. In this way, it is unnecessary for the operator to remove the articles manually from within the base.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the iollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. i with parts in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5--5 oi Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-8 oi Fig. 1. Fig. '1 is a rear elevation of a part of the ejecting mechanism. a

Fla. 1.

Fig. 9 is of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diiierent figures.

With reference to Fig. 1, the machine coma sectional view along the line 9"9 Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8 8 of prises a base I having guideways 2 on which is ing block 4, also mounted for adjustment lonsitudlnally of the machine on the ways I. At the leit hand end of the base is a head 5 movable on the ways 2 and normally locked against movement thereon. Extending between the head 5 and the block 4 are four large diameter bars t (see Fig. 5), which provide guideways for a slidable member ll on which the movable diet is mounted. 'li'he bars are mounted against longitudinal movement in the head i by suitable clamping nuts 9 on the threaded end thereof, and locking nuts l0 hold the barsin position within the block i. The stationary die it is carried by a plate I? normally held in a position adjacent to the block t and arranged for sliding movement on. the bars t.

To bring the dies 8 and it together the member l is moved longitudinally on the bars t by any suitable means, as by afiuid pressure actuated mechanism. With reference to Fig. 2, the head- 5 has mounted thereon a cylinder it having a piston, not shown, therein, connected to a projecting piston rod it. The projecting end oi the piston rod has a collar It to which are pivotally connected short links it and ill. Two toggle linkages, each made up of a pair of links lit and t9, the iormer being pivotally connected to the head t, and the latter being connected tothe member l, are connected to the links it and it and provide for movement of the member ll to ward or away from the plate it. Cooperating lugs It and M on the links it and i9 limit the movement of the links beyond the straight line position shown in the upper part of. Fig. 2, with the member l in its right hand position. By this arrangement it will be clear that the movement of the piston within the cylinder l3 procures movement oi the member if to the right into a position for the molding operation and subsequently a movement of the member I to the left (into the position shown in the lower part of Fig. 2) for separating the portions of the mold.

Since the links l8 and I9 are moved into a straight line position when the member 1 reaches the right hand position shown, itwill be apparent that the dies 8 ad II are held against movement away irom each other by mechamcai .elements independently of the fluid pressure in the cylinder 13, since the toggle linkage cannot be moved out of its straight line position without an inward pull exerted by the links l6 and H.

The head 3 and block tare held in predeter- 'mined relation to each other by bars 22 which are integral extensions of the bars Band are held against movement in the head 3 by locking nuts '23. Between the head; and the block 4 are positioned the nozzle 24 mounted on a heating chamber 15 in which the material being molded is plasticized, a hopper -25, and the feeding and measuring mechanism 28, of any suitable character:

The plate |2 which carries the stationary die II is movable on the bars 6 toward and away from the end of the nozzle 24. To this end a coil 3 spring 33, Fig. 4, is positioned around each of the bars 6 between the block 4 and the plate l2, these springs engaging in annular recesses 34 provided by the block 4. As the movable member I on which the die 8 is mounted is brought toward the plate H the latter is urged to the right, F'ig. 1, against the resistance of the springs 33 uni ii the nozzle 24 is tightly seated against the enl of a bore 35 provided in the die II, this bore p: oviding for the flow of the plasticized material ;rom the nozzle into the mold cavity. As the dies are separated at the completion of the molding operation, the plate I2 is moved away from the block 4 by the then compressed springs i 9, in a position to engage a part of the molded 4 33, thereby breaking away the plastic material at the end of the nozzle.

To assure a tight fit between the nozzle 24 and theend of the bore 35, the die II in which the bore is located has a projecting annular hub H engaging in a centrally located bore l2 in the plate I2 to center the die. A hardened steel bushing 35' is inserted irr the end of the bore 35 and is shaped to correspond to the tip of the nozzle so that no leakage of the plastic material may occuraround the end of the nozzle.

The movement of. the member |2 to the left, Fig. 1, is limited by projecting pins 36, Fig. 5, mounted in the member l2 and extending horizontally through bores in the block 4. The outer ends of the pins have annular grooves 36' therein for engagement by latches 3'I' pivotally mount-' ed on Studs 38 on the block 4. A link 39 provides a connection between the latches, and a ,nected, and-is subsequently discharged throughthe nozzle into the mold.

The molded articles are ejected from the mold cavities when the die elements are separated. To

this end the movable die may have a pin 85 axially'slidable therethrough, as shown in Fig.

article. As the movable die 8 is moved to the left, Fig. 1, the projecting end of the pin '85 engages with a plate 86 (see also Fig. 2,) secured to the head 5, which causes movement of the pin within the die to force the molded article away from the die 8.- The pin is normally urged to the left, Fig. 9, relative to thedie 8, by a spring 81 surrounding the pin and engaging a collar 88 thereon.

There is a provision for discharge of the molded articles from between the dies when the lat ter are moved apart at the completion of the molding operation and when the articles are pushed out of the die 8 by the pin 85. With reference to Figs. 7 and 8, the member I has mounted on the back thereof a bracket 89, in which is journalleda shaft 90. A collar 9| on the shaft has a projecting shoulder 92 for engagement with a spring-pressed latch 93, slidable in the bracket.

one of the'latches 31 to the block 4, with the pivotal support for vthe latch located between the ends of the spring. Thus, in accordance with the position of the handle 40, the latches are held resiliently in the operative position shown or in an unlatched position, as will be apparent.

To facilitate the extended movement of the member |'2 a plurality of rods 4|, as shown in Fig. 3 are carried by said member and extend to the left through bores 42. in brackets 42' on the member 1. During the normal movement of the member 'I the rods 4| slide within the member I without affecting the movement of the plate I2. Each of the rods 4|, however, may be held against movement relative to the-member I by a suitable clamping screw 43 which, by engaging one of the rods 4| urges thrust rods 44 into clamping engagement with the rods 4|. If the rods-4| are clamped when the member I is in its right hand position, the plate l2 will move with the member I when the latter is subsequently moved to the left, thereby permitting access to the nozzle and to; the recess in the right hand side of the plate |2 which makes possible The latch normally prevents counterclockwise (Fig. 8) movementof the shaft 90, under the infiuence of a coil spring 94 connected to a lug 9| on the collar., The end of the shaft 90 has mounted thereon a projecting arm 95, preferably of resilient material, which is adapted to swing downwardly between the stationary and movable dies, as the latter are moved apart for discharging the molded articles. The arm is swung upwardly during the movement of the dies together, in readiness for the subsequent molding operation.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the latch 93 is movable verticallyin the bracket 89, and is normally urged upward into operative position by a coil spring 96. The lower end of the latch 93 has a collar 91 mounted thereon in a position for engagement with the bifurcated end of a lever 98' extending stud I00 which, during the movement of the member I in a direction to separate the stationary and movable dies, engages a tapered collar ||l| on. one of the rods 4|. Since the rod 4| is permanently secured in the plate l2, the member 1 moves relative to the rod, and thus as the member reaches the end of its movement toward open position, the stud I00 engages the collar and is rocked thereby to release the latch 93 and allow the projecting arm to swing downwardly between the stationary and movable dies. It will be noted that-the arm 95 is preferably adv justable longitudinally on the rod 90, so that the arm may be positioned to swing between the dies, when one type of die is substituted for another.

It will be noted in this connection, that when the clamping screw 42 is tightened to cause movement of the plate |2 with the member I, the rod 4| also moves with the member I, so that the latch 83 is not released, and the ejecting arm stays in the raised position. There is, as a result, no possibility of the damaging of the arm W or its associated mechanism, by engagement with the stationary die or the plate I! when the plate i2 is moved with the member I.

The ejecting arm 95 i automatically returned to its raised position when the member 1 moves into a position to close the dies. To this end, as shown in Fig. 7, the shaft 90 has a projecting pin M2 in a position for engagement with a cam surface I03 on a bracket I04 secured to the head 5, relative to which the member I is moved, The bracket llil is positioned to allow fre turning movement of the shaft 90, when the member 1 reaches the end of its movement toward the open position of the dies, but the cam provides for rocking movement of the shaft to raise the ejector arm, when the member '1 begins its movement into a position to close the dies, this movement being toward the left, Fig. 7.

With reference to Fi 6, thebase i has an opening I05 in the front wall thereof and a similar opening I06 in the rear wall for the discharge of workpieces selectively to the front or to the rear of the machine. Positioned within the base is a plate l0! mounted on a rod I00 and adapted to assume either the full line position of Fig. 6 in engagement with projecting ribs I09 and tin provided by the base for discharging molded articles to the front of the machine, or the dotted line position of Fig. 6 in engagement with elmilar ribs Hi and H2 for the discharge of molded articles toward the rear of the machine. The rod itt has secured thereto a projecting arm lit extending at right angles to the plate, and a coil spring lid is connected to the end of the arm and to the base, with the end of the rod between the ends of the spring. The plate I0! is thus held resiliently in either of the pcnitions shown without manually controlled fastening means.

Although the operation of the machine will he entirely apparent from the foregoing description, the movements of the several elements will be outlined for a more complete understanding of the invention. With the member I in its left hand position, as shown in Fig. 2, the machine operation is started by movement of the member l to the right to bring the die elements 8 and ii into engagement. The injection plunger iorces material from the heating chamber through the nozzle and into the mold cavity between the dies. Prior to the injection of material the plate 12 has been moved slightly to the right against the action of the coil springs 33 so that the end of the nozzle engages with the bushing 35' in the die element Ii.

The material in the mold cavity having been given an-opportunity to solidify,'the member 1 is moved to the left to separate the die elements. The plate I! moves slightly to the left as the die element 8 moves to the left and the material in the bore 35 in the die element II is broken off at the end of the nozzle, the latter being the portion'oi. smallest diameter between the heating chamber and the molding cavity. As the member I reaches its extreme left hand position the molded article is ejected from the mold cavity in the die element 8 by the ejector mechanism above described andthe discharging arm then swings downwardly between the die elements for discharging the molded article into the opening in the base directly beneath the die elements.

If for any reason it is'necessary to obtain ac cess to the nozzle 24, the member I is moved to.

the right until the dies are in engagement, the clamping screw 43 is tightened, the handle to is rocked to shift the latches 31 to inoperative position. When the member I is subsequently moved to the left the plate i2 moves therewith and it is then possible to replace the nozzle or to do whatever is required.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a means for ejecting the molded material from the mold cavity in the dies and additional mechanism for positively removing the molded article from between the die elements. The base of the machine incorporates structure by which the molded articles may be directed selectively to the front or the rear of the machine.

I claim,

1. In a molding machine for thermoplastics, a

nozzle, an inner die having a movement toward and away from the nozzle, an outer die movable away and toward the inner die for opening and closing the mold cavity, means for limiting the movement of the'lnner die, means for securing the inner and outer dies together for movement of both dies toward or away from the nozzle as a unit, and latch means for rendering said limitopposed openings on opposite sides thereof, co-

7 operating die elements positioned above the base and arranged to discharge molded articles from the elements into the base when the element are separated, a pivotally mounted plate positioned below the die elements, means for pivotally supporting the plate for swinging movement within the base and means for resiliently holding the plate selectively in a position for guiding the molded articles to either of the opposed base openings.

FREDERICK W. McIN'I'YRE. 

